Method and means for looping hosiery



Feb. 20, 1940.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1937 I, V I

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.s m N l O Q m N QM 2. W l w 2 b x .8 z 3 av BL mm 9 3 .V. 2. N w 8 Q 0 N. g 2 E .v 5Q 2 3 m a z Feb. 20, 1940. J. PQNS 7 2,191,288

METHOD AND MEANS FOR LOOPING HOSIERY Filed July 2, 1937 4 Sheets-Shet 2 Feb. 20, 1940. J. A. PONS METHOD AND MEANS FOR LOOPING OSIERY Filed July 2, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet s m v all.

:JYWCM O DS JOHN A. Pow/s- I 6mm; v

Feb. 20, 1940. FONS 2,191,288

METHOD AND MEANS FOR LOOPING HOSIERY Filed July 2, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwuc wbo'o: JOHN H. Po/vs Patented Feb. 20,

'METHOD AND MEANS FOR 14001711;r i, HOSIERY John 'A. Pons, Morganton, N. Application July 2, 1937, SerialNoQ' 1f 51fl19 i 4 Claims. (cum-25) V This invention relates to'the manufacture of hosiery and the like, and more especially to a method and meansv of performinga looping operation upon the foot portion thereof, .It is a 5 well known fact, in the manufacture of hosiery,

reversed. In order to do this, both of said edges must be placed upon the sameneedles loop'for go loop, and thenthe excess portions of the ravel edge are removed-so that 'whenthe looping machine, during the looping operation, inserts a thread to join the loops'together there will not be a largeribat the junction point. Therefore, 5 it is very desirable thatfthe' ravel edge be clipped,

' off as closely as possible to expedite the removal of the excess fabric. Then a suitablelbrushing mechanism should be employed to further ravel this edge down to the needles or "points so that 30 onlythe bare loops of the respective edges be disposed upon the needles during the looping a along the line 5-5 in Figure 1 showing the opoperation. V Heretofore, it has been very di'fficult toiunravel theravel edge because a shearing operation 35 could not be employedfor fear that theselvedge would be out, thereby causing a run in the hose;

consequently, this ravelling hasto beperformed byvhandpI have provided an improved guard whereby'the selved ge will be protected'whilethe qalong the line 88' in- Figure 1;

o ravel edge will be' 'expose'd to a suitable shearing apparatus which will'y clip this edge down very closely along a line slightly above the needles without in any manner, exposing orcutting the selvedgeq 5 It is therefore, an objectvof this invention. to

provide ina looping machine having needles, means for securing aravel edge and a selvedge loop for loop. on the same needles, and means, forv guarding the selvedge'whil'e the ravel edge'isbe- 50 ing sheared downto substantially the same elevation as the selvedge. l It is a further object of this invention t'o'provide an apparatusof thejclass described with further means for brushing the ravel edge after M it has been shearedfto loosen the 'excess fyarn ,while' the ravel edge is being sheared down to above the needles. Also means are provided for clipping and removing any of the loosethreads which may be disposed'ab'ove the course which is held by the needles, after which further means are, employed for looping the selvedge' tothe- .5" Lravellededge loopfor lo p, to unite the edges.

By properly guiding the selvedge while the ravel edge is being sheared to substantially the same point as the selvedge, it is possibleto employ the brushing and clipping operation so as to remove 10 the surplus thread'which maybe disposed above the course held bythe needles; whereas, if the clipping operation were not possible the ravelle'd edge would have to be unravelled'by hand down to the desired point which would entail much time and expense in theproduction of hosiery. Some of the objects of theinvention having been stated, other objects willappear as the rescription proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanyingvdrawings, in which: 2

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion ofa dial loopershowing myinvention applied thereto;'

looping mechanism and its associated'parts;

Figure 5 is an, enlarged, sectional viewtakenf posite side of the thread clipper ,and remover from that shown in Figure 2; v

Figure (i'is an enlarged, sectional viewtaken along 1ine'6-6 in Figure 1 Figurelis an enlarged, sectional view t'aken along the line 'I'l,in Figurel; I

Figure 8 is an enlarged, sectional. view taken Figure 9v is an enlarged, isometricfviewof a 40 portion of a dial looper showing the mannerin which my improved guardprote'cts the selvedge substantially the same elevationj' one end of the guard" shown in'Figure' 9 I Figure 11 is a plan View of a developed foot portion of a full-fashioned hose prior to its edges being looped together. I g Figure 12 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of knitted fabric showing the manner, in which the selvedgeis placed upon the points. I f

7 Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral l0 denotes a suitableb'ench or sup- Figure 10 is an inverted isometric View of port to which is secured an overhanging, cantilevered frame II which supports a dial race l2, said race depending from the extreme outer end of frame II. This dial race has a dial ring clamp I3 secured thereon by means of screws I4, the function of this clamp being to hold a dial ring [5 in its proper position. The dial ring I5 supports a point or needle ring l6 upon which a plurality of needles or points I! areadapted to rest with their sharpened ends projecting beyond the periphery of point ring I6 so that the loops of a fabric such as a hose may be placed thereon. A plurality of point clamps H! are adapted to rest upon the shanks of points I! to hold them in fixed position against the point ring l6. 7 These point clamps I8 are held in position against the point and dialring respectively, by any suitable means such as screws I9. The dial ring 15 has integral therewith asuitable rack 15a which is engaged by conventional gears, not shown, to cause the dial ring to rotate slowly about the dial race l2. This rack is protected by a suitable rack guard 22 which, in turn, is secured to the bottom portion of dial race I2, see Figure 4.

Secured to the dial race l2 as at 23 is a holding arm 24 which bows around the edge or periphery of the dial ring and supports a fabric guard plate 25 in the position shown in Figures 1, 5, 7, and 8. Secured to the guard plate 25 by any suitable means such as screws 26, is a thin L-shaped plate 2'! which acts as a point guard beneath which points I? are adapted to pass as they carry the fabric through the machine. This plate has a point 21a, the end of which is disposed immediately above'the ends of the moving points of needles H. The plate 2'! has integral therewith an upstanding leg 28 which cooperates with the edge 29 of this plate (Fig. 1)

to cause the fabric to be pushed to the proper position upon the needles so that it may be sheared in the next operation.

Figure 11 shows full-fashioned hose before the parts are looped together. This hose is designated by the reference character 35. In order to properly loop the parts together the respective edges must be joined loop for loop and a thread inserted intothese loops. It is seenthat thehose has flaps or side portions 36, each of which have a selvedge 31. It is further seen that this hose has another flap or portion 38 and these portions have a ravel edge 39. It is necessary to join the edge 31 to the portion 38 along dotted line 4|! in order to properly form a finished stock ing. As heretofore stated, it has been customary to place the portion 38upon the points I1 along dotted line 40, this course being a few courses down from the extreme upper edge 39. Then the edge 31 of the selvedge 35 was placed upon'the needles or points, after which, the course above the dotted line 40, were unravelled by hand. It was absolutely necessary that this ravelling take place by hand since if anyof the loops ofthe selvedge 31 were to be severed a run would be caused in the stocking thereby forming a defective stocking. This method of removing the sur plus yarn is slow,.tedious, and expensive.

In practicing my invention, portions 35 and 38 are placed side by side and the portion 38 is first placed upon the points I! with the points penetrating the same along dotted line 40, thereby leaving a portion 39 disposed above the needles as shown in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9. Then the "edge .of selvedge 37 is placed onthe points [1. As the dial ring rotates in a clockwise manher in Figure 1,'the stocking is carried along with the points, and when the guide point 21a is contacted, the portion 39 which is disposed above the needles l7 will be pushed inwardly to the proper position where it will be guided by the surface 29 and the upstanding leg 28 of plate 21.

In order to insure that the selvedge 3'! will not be disturbed, while the portion 39 is being severed a suitable guardplate 42 has been secured to the top of plate 2'! by means of the screw '25. This guard has a slot 42a therein so that the proper adjustment may be effected. The other end of the guard plate 42 projects to the left in Figuresl and 9, and its end is disposed over the needles or points l1. This guard has a downturned portion 43 normally resting upon needles H, which portion forms a slight recess or groove 44 along the lower edge thereof, so that the selvedge 3'! may pass therebeneath, Figures 8 and 10. At the same time, the rave] edge 39 slides against the down-turnededge 43 so that its portions will be exposed to reciprocatory knife 45;

This knife is mounted in hell crank 46 which oscillates about point 47 to cause said knife to move back and forth relativeto stationary knife 49 which in turn, is secured to a block 49 by means of screw 50.

Also secured in the lower end of bell crank 45 is a packer 54 which has a packing edge 55 for contacting the portion 39 and moving it toward the center of rotation of the dial ring. This will prevent any portions of this edge 39 from moving into the groove 44 beneath the guard 42, but instead the edge will move beyond this groove and be exposed to the cutting edges of knives 45 and 48 as the points pass thereby. Figures 8 and 9 show the manner in Which the selvedge 31 passes into the recess 44 and is thereby protected from the cutting edge, since the knife 45 is adapted to reciprocate directly above guard plate 42.

The bell crank 46 has pivotally secured to its other end a, link 56 which link is operated by means of a disk or wheel 51, said disk 51 being fixedly secured around rotating shaft 58. It is seen byreferring to'Figures 1 and 3 that as the shaft 58 rotates, oscillatory motion is imparted to the crank to thereby cause the blade 45 to oscillate'and shear the portion 39 down to substantially the same, elevation as the selvedge 31,

When this shearing operation has been efiected it is necessary that theyremaining severed edges of the course above the course held'b-y the needles ll be removed so thatwh n the looping operation'takes place to join the portions together, loop for loop, a perfectunion willbe' effected thereby preventing alarge" rib or seam at the junction point. In order to remove or loosen these remaining threads from the course held by the needles I'La suitable oscillatingbrush 69 has been provided with the lower edge thereof disposed directly against the top of the points I! so that the ravel edge will be loosened. Means have also been provided for oscillating this brush as the points I! pass beneath it along with the edges of the stockings which are to be united. This brush is fixedly secured around shaft 6'! which shaft is rotatably mounted in bracket 92. The" bracket. 52 is securedqto trimmer frame 53 which, in turn, is secured to" the dial race 12. This trimmer frame also: supports bracket to which bell crank 48 is pivotally secured.

The'shaft 5| has fixedly secured on the other end thereof an upwardly projecting lever 56, and pivotally secured to this lever is one end of link 615. The?other end of link 61' is pivoted to the. end of ileverfia, .said'iever being fixedly mounted on rotating: shaft .69. the shaft 69 rotates. it isseen-thatlthe lever 66 will beoscillated back andforth in Figure 3 to thereby cause the lower portion of.- the' b-rush 60 which contacts the edges of the stocking held by points H, to loosen and unravel theexcess thread in the portion 39.

After the brush lifl has performed the function of loosening and partially removing this ex-'"" cess' yarnfrorn the portions'39, it is necessary to employ other means for entirely removing these loosened ends so that they will not be looped at the junction point duringthe subsequent looping operation. I have therefore-provided a platelt which has a plurality of spaced racks it projecting upwardly and outwardly therefrom (Figures 1, 3'and 5). This plate is secured to the top of plate 2'5 .by means of screw ll and is positioned in the mannershown in Figures 1 and 5- so that the sharpened ends of points I! will pass directly beneath one. edge of plate 15. This of course,

will cause the upper ravel course of portion .38

as well as the selvedge 31 to pass along the right hand edge of plate 75 as shown in'Figure 5' so that any excess loose yarn or thread will .be ex-v posed to downwardly-projecting prongs 80. The upper ends of these prongs are secured to a suitable bar 8! which, in turn, issupported by bolt '82. The bolt 82 is mounted for oscillation in bracket-33, and this bracket is secured to another bracket 8d by any suitable means such as ly secured to one end thereof, it is 'evidentthat as the knife 36 is oscillated, thepoints 8 will likewise .be oscillated so-that the lower ends thereof will engage any loose ends of the yarn or associated partsa're, provided to impart the same rate of travel-to the-needle H33.v as the rate of thread and move them upwardly and outwardlyupon the toothed racks'lfi. 7

When the loose ends are once moved upon these toothedracks by the prongs 68, the teeth in the racks will prevent the ends from again moving downwardly upon the top of the edges.

which are to be united.

It is also necessary that these loose ends be severed so that unusually long pieces will not be moved upon rack it. In order to provide this severing means. a stationary blade 88 has been adjustably secured to the side of bracket 84 by means of screws 89.

Knife 88" has a cutting edge 90 which isadapted to cooperate with cutting edge 9| onthe lower end of blade 36. A U-shaped member 92 is also loosely mounted around the bolt 82 and encircles the back of knife 36 and has portions disposed .on

each side of knife 86 (Figures 2 and 5). This member 92 has points c4 and 95 on its lowermost portion which are adapted to gather up the loose ends and cause themto be moved upwardly into engagement with the cutting edges of the knives.

It is seen that this member BZ'is normally held against the back'of knife 86 by any suitable means such as tension spring 91, and although the member 532 ismoved in a counter-clockwise manner, in Figure 2, by virtue of the movement .of the rotation of bladeaii, the clockwise rotation v of member 92 is nevertheless effected by the ten sion spring ill.

Therefore, it is seen that there is no positively actuated means for causing clockwise movement of member 92. This is important since, if this member should become clogged, then will'not actuate the member 92.!

the'pos'itive clockwise movement offthe knife 86 A The knife as has securedin the'uppeii end thereof a suitablepiniiQ in which one end of link Hill is mounted. The other end of link I00; has

its end mounted. in arm- Hll 'whichyin turn, is secured to link 56., Each time arevolution of shaft .58 is made, the knife 86 as well as the member 92, is caused to oscillate, thereby cut-. ting any of the loose edges to" allow the prongs lit to move them ":upon the .rack teeth of mem bers 16.1

After these loose ends have been removed the points ll. only holdthe uppermost loops "of the respective edges, therefore, .it is only necessary toemploy the conventional looping mechanism to insert a thread and unite these courses loop for loop. This is effected by a suitable needle 13 (Figure 4 which is'iadjustably mounted in the lower end-of arm 184, said arm being pivotally secured asat itdtothe needle arm' sliding shoe rat 1%. .I-hisv arm is secured on the right-hand'end of slotted needle arm cam lever l0! which isheld in position relative to bracket H38 by any suitable means suchas pin Hi9, said pin penetratingslot Ht! in this lever. The other end of lever if)! has .a suitable roller ml l2, which is. adapted to fit in peripheral roove N3 of cean 3M, said cam H4 being fixedly'mounted on shaft 58.

58 also has fixedly secured thereon an eccentric Ht'around which is mounted one. end oflink Ht. This link is pivotedas at ll? to a -second link i It! which has its other end pivotally secured as at, I i 9 to an. intermediate portion of lever ltd. I As the shaft. 58 rotates,- it isseen that the eccentric H 5 will cause'the lever IM and its associated needle 1-03 to oscillate back and forthabout point :5, in "Figure 4, to thereby loop the heel gussets 35 and 38 together along the edges3l and v dilrespectively. TI'he.cam-H;4, lever It'd and-its The shaft travel of the points I! as they pass by the needle at this point thereby insuring that each of the loops will be accurately centered by the point of the needle I03.

Whena hoseis firstplacedupon the points as shown in Figure 3, it is very essential that downward'tension be applied to the portions 36 and 38 so that the top loops'held by the needles or points ll will not be severed by the shearing knife 45. I have therefore, extended a-member I I8 downwardly from the dial race i2 and around the lower end of this member I have rotatably mounted asuitable-collar H9; This collar carerly positioned upon the points ll. It is seen that in this manner, the courses in the respectiveportioris which are desired to be united will be pulled tautly downwardly on. the needles so that it will be impossible for any of these courses to be severedby the shear knife but only will allow the projecting portions 39 to be contacted.

. Theoretically, the points i? should penetrate the extreme outer loop of the selvedge in order that the rib at thejunction point might be of minimum size. From a practical standpoint, this is impossible; consequently, the points -must penetrate the selvedge one or two wales from the extreme outer loopsso that the operators will have a very narrow projecting edge which may be grasped by their fingers while placing the edge upon the points.

Figure 12 is a very much enlarged view showing the selvedge and the location of the points '11 when penetrating the same. In the other views, the projecting edge of the selvedge above I the needles has been omitted for the sake of clearness, however, the thickness of'this projecting portion is not sufficientto provide a noticeable rib when looped to the ravel edge.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dial looper for uniting the selvedge edge of the heel portion and the ravel edge of the foot portion of a-full-fashioned stocking having means for imparting rotation thereto, said looper having a plurality of points for penetrating the selvedge edge at its extreme edge and for penetrating the ravel edge at a point removed from its extreme edge, a stationary guard disposed immediately outside the path defined by the points in their rotation and beneath which the selvedge edge is adapted to pass, a reciprocable knife having means for reciprocating the same across the upper side of said guard and across and above said points to sever the ravel edge down to the loops disposed on said points, and means for looping the two edges together.

2. In a dial looper for uniting the selvedge edge of the heel portion and the ravel edge of the foot portion of a full-fashioned stocking having means for imparting rotation thereto, said looper having a plurality of points for pentrating the selvedge edge at its extreme edge and for penetrating the ravel edge at a point removed from its extreme edge, a stationary guard disposed 7 and above said points to sever the ravel edge down to the loops disposed on said points, means for brushing the severed portions from the ravel edge, and means for looping the two edges to- 'gether.

3. That method of uniting the selvedge edge of a heel portion and the ravel edge of the foot portion of a full-fashioned stocking which comprises supporting the ravel edge a short distance from its edge, and supporting the selvedge edge at its extreme edge, applying tension to the stocking to ,hold the loops tautly at their points of support, then packing the loops of the ravel edge on the support for same, then guarding the selvedge edge, then severing the portion of the ravel edge immediately above its point of support, and then passing a looping thread between the loops of the two edges to unite the two edges together.

4. That method of uniting the selvedge edge of a heel portion and the ravel edge of the foot portion of a full-fashioned stocking which comprises supporting a course removed from the ravel edge, also supporting the outermost loops of the selvedge edge, applying tension to the stocking to hold the loops tautly at their point of support, then packing the supported loops of the ravel edge, then guarding the selvedge edge, severing the portion of the ravel edge immediately above their point of support, then brushing the severed portions from the stocking, then forcing undesirable portions of the threads away from the ravel edge, then passing a looping thread between the loops of the two edges to unite the two edges 

